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For more information contact mark.a.kinders@uwrf.edu or brenda.k.bredahl@uwrf.edu.

Faculty Receive Funding Awards

MAY 4, 2007--Sixteen faculty members at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls were honored recently with Recruitment and Retention Funding awards from the University of Wisconsin System.

The awards, previously called exemplary performance awards, are funded by the UW System to assist in retaining outstanding faculty and to recognize their contributions to UWRF. The awards are also a means to stay competitive with other schools in recruiting new faculty members.

Gov. Jim Doyle and the Wisconsin State Legislature made the funding for the awards available to the UW System. UW-River Falls was then granted $98,000 to distribute to its honorees. Each individual was given a minimum of $3,000.

"Investing in higher education in Wisconsin is investing in the state of Wisconsin," says Doyle in explaining the impetus behind establishing the awards.

Provost Charles Hurt noted that UWRF faces many of the same financial and staffing hurdles as other institutions of higher education.

"Our challenges with recruitment and retention are actually very similar to those faced by UW Madison and other research-intensive universities," says Provost Charles Hurt. "The funding we received and put into the hands of individuals is our best effort to retain individuals."

Members of the faculty were nominated by their respective department chairs or the deans of their college. Those who received the award were chosen for their recognized model academic performance.

"The retention funds reward our best faculty. These individuals perform at the highest levels," says Hurt. "The funding was used to fulfill the intent of the Governor, legislature, and the UW System: retention of our best and brightest."

Jim Madsen, the 2007 Distinguished Teacher, received one of the grants.

"I was very pleased and honored to receive this funding. I work in a great department with faculty that all are worthy of these awards," says Madsen. "The only down side is that there was not enough money to reward all the deserving faculty and staff.

When asked what he planned to use the funding for, Madsen joked that he and his wife would be owners of the money for only a short time.

"We will have two kids in college next fall. I guess you could say the state of Wisconsin is just letting me hold this money for a few months before I give it back to them," says Madsen.

Other UWRF faculty who received the awards included:

Kristine Butler, associate professor of modern language

Kelly Cain, professor of plant and earth science

Brad Caskey, professor of psychology

Wes Chapin, associate professor of political science

Tracey Gladstone-Sovell, professor and department chair of political science

Lynn Jermal, professor of art

Steve Kelm, associate professor and department chair of animal and food science

Claire Kilian, associate professor of business administration

Karen Klyczek, professor and department chair of biology

Tim Lyden, assistant professor of biology

Jim Madsen, professor and department chair of physics

Faye Perkins, professor and department chair of health and human performance

Ogden Rogers, professor and program chair of social work

Brian Schultz, professor of economics

Nate Splett, professor of agricultural economics

Travis Tubre, associate professor of psychology

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Last updated: Thursday, 22-Apr-2010 16:08:19 CDT